I dye my hair at home and have been for about two years now but the last few times I've dyed it the colour has washed out a little more every time I wash my hair.

I've switched dyes and shampoos and it still washes out. Am I doing something wrong? Or... I don't know.

Does anybody know why this is happening or how I can fix it?

Help would be appreciated.

Are you using semi, demi or permanent hair color?

What brand of hair color are you using? Some commercial lines as well as stuff at Sally's like Wella are very high in ammonia content and very damaging to the cuticle layer of the hair strand. Don't use them.

Have you had any other chemical services recently? Perm? relaxer?

How often have you colored your hair in the past? What type of haircoloring was it? Semi, Demi or Permanent?

What shampoo are you using? Pantene, Thermasilk and other shampoos containing Ammonium Lauryl & Laureth Sulfate are too harsh for chemically treated hair. Use a shampoo with Sodium Lauryl & Laureth Sulfate. Use a moisturizing shampoo like Biolage. Professional products are best for your hair. Make sure it's for color treated hair.

Is the shampoo for Color Treated Hair? It should be that's why it's for color treated hair.

How do you dry and style your hair on a daily basis? Blow Dry? Flat Iron? Explain in as much detail as ya can. Also what styling products do you use? Try to stay away from products with alcohol in them as they will only dry the cuticle layer more if it's already damaged.

If your using permanent haircolor and have been for a while your hair could be overprocessed and the cuticle layer which is like scales on a fish could be slightly raised or damaged and that is what holds the color into the cortex of the hair strand. Haircolor shouldn't just be washing right out of your hair especially if it's permanent hair color.

The difference between semi, demi & permanent haircolor is that Semi & Demi are deposit only the color is deposited on the outside of the hair strand.

Permanent haircolor has ammonia in it which causes the cuticle layer to raise slightly and the color to penetrate the cortex (the middle layer of the hair strand, which is where the natural hair color pigment is that gives your hair it's natural color. The permanent color will add to the natural pigment and alter the haircolor)

Be as decriptive as you can about your hair over the past several year, what you've done to it, how you style it, what color you've used, etc and I can try and help you some more.

Sounds to me like your cuticle layer could be slighty damaged. Is your hair snarly or knot easily? That is an indication that the cuticles of the hair strand are raised slighty and that is what causes tangles.

You could always try some L'ANZA Magic Bullet spray to protect your hair from heat when blow drying it. It helps to close down the cuticle, restore shine and preserve hair color. It comes in a 4.2oz spray bottle and it's about $13. It's well worth it tho it's great for damaged hair.

G'luck

Well it sounds like my hair is definitely damaged.

I use permanent dye (black) and have used a bunch of different brands in the past year or so. I think I've been using L'Oreal most recently.

I haven't had any other chemicals in my hair although I blow dry/straighten it. I probably blow dry my hair 2 times a week and straighten my fringe 3 or so times using a ceramic iron, I only straighten all my hair once a month or less. Blow drying usually gets it pretty straight.

I've been colouring my hair using permanent dye probably once every two or three months for about a year and a half.

I've used a whole bunch of different shampoos, all designed for colour treated hair. I'm using John Frieda at the moment. I also use John Freida frizz-ease or whatever it's called on my hair before blow drying sometimes, other than that I don't put any products in my hair.

My hair is fairly fine and always has been. I haven't noticed any real difference in the way it behaves lately. Quite a lot of it falls out when I brush it or whatever but I don't remember a time when that didn't happen.

I live in Australia so we might not have all the products you could reccomend me, give it a go though. What kind of things should I be looking out for to help restore my hair? Also what dye do you recommend, I love the way I look with black hair and don't really want to have to stop dying it altogether. Although I could give it a break for awhile.

I have a bit to work with from what you've already told me but any further help would be really appreciated.

edit: It only washes out when I shampoo it if this means anything. Not in a regular shower or when conditioning.

edit2: Also, I last dyed it a week or two ago and lately my head has been kind of itchy, if that's a sign of anything. And if you think some products that aren't available here are the absolute best then would you be able to point to somewhere on the internet I can buy them. I'm thinking I'll probably need some kind of deep treatment and then some products/advice on maintaining my hair, seeing as I don't really do anything for it now. Also, if there are any cheaper alternatives to more expensive products that do the job just as well I'd be interested in those although I don't mind spending whatever's necessary to get my hair back into shape, I realise there's no miracle over-night cure. Thanks again.